Thursday, April 28, 2016

I know, I know, Throwback Thursday seems to be all about sharing pictures from the past, great memories that mean something to you, that you would like to share with others. At least that is how it appears to me. Throwback Thursday wasn't something I was participating in, and then I came up with an idea.

I thought it would be great fun and a help to my blog to share old content, but not just any old content. Each week I will share an old blog post from a previous year, any year, BUT it has to be from the current week (for example, something I've posted around April 28th, from any previous year) I will go in, edit the post if needed, add a pinnable image if I don't already have one, and share it on Facebook.

I have reviewed some great products in the past (and continue to do so). I thought it would be a neat idea to choose review posts this year and highlight some of these great products again.

Would you like to join in? You do not need to edit your past post in any way, you don't need to create a pinnable image, though it couldn't hurt, in fact it will help your blog traffic to add quality pinnable images to your posts.Just go into your archives, choose a favorite post from this current week from any previous year, and link it up below. (If you don't have anything from this current week, it is still okay to link up with a post from a previous year around this time.)
I will be pinning posts to my appropriate Pinterest boards and will be randomly selecting a Featured Throwback Thursday post to share next week. Just a note, I will be sharing a picture from your post if you are selected as the featured post, but I will link back to your post. I will ALWAYS give credit and link back. By linking up you are giving me permission to use your picture in the post.

My husband is a Licensed Practical Nurse who works in a long term care facility taking care of 40 residents for 12 hours at a time. Needless to say, he washes his hands. A lot. He also uses hand sanitizer. A lot. He has often said that he doesn't like the feeling his hands have throughout the day because they were too dry. He's also complained about his feet being dry because he walks on them excessively.

GREEMU is distributed by a company that we have reviewed products for in the past. About a year ago my husband and I tried out Emu Oil and Koolpurrie Restoring Balm from Koru Naturals. As I have very sensitive skin which had an allergic reaction to these products, I hesitated in asking for this review. However, my husband was pleased with the Emu Oil and Restoring Balm and was eager to try this new, plant-based, vegan alternative to Emu Oil.

We received a 4 oz bottle of this "Green Alternative to Emu Oil." Scientists blended plant oils and butters in the attempt to achieve a suitable product that provided the same benefits as Emu oil, without having to use Emus to do so. Here is a list of the ingredients that make up GREEMU oil:

Macadamia Seed Oil

Palm Oil (Organic and Sustainable Certified)

Shea Butter

Sunflower Seed Oil

Rice Bran Oil

According to my husband, "GREEMU oil felt different going on than any other products I've tried. You knew it was going to last just by the feel of it." As mentioned above, most products have not worked for my husband. Though Emu Oil did help him, and this product is supposed to be similar to Emu Oil, he did find that it is slightly different. They do state on their website that the GREEMU will absorb even slower than Emu oil, which is what he has experienced. It is imperative to use very little of the oil.

Though he wasn't a huge fan of how long it took to absorb, he was quite happy with the results.

This is what he had to say regarding his dry skin, "My hands don't feel as dry after helping my wife with the dishes or after coming out of the shower."

Another thing he noted, "I've been to a podiatrist before and literally had to have him cut off the callouses on my feet with a really sharp blade. Since using the GREEMU oil, I notice a marked decrease in them without having to go to the doctor and get them removed."

Here, let's take a look at his results.

The redness and dryness on his fingers has decreased. Which is great, however, the camera didn't really do it justice.

You can see a marked improvement in his feet though (even with my not-so-great camera).

Personally, I do not have a huge aversion to using animal products, and neither does my husband. It is great to discover that scientists have been able to create an almost identical product to the authentic Emu oil. Hubby is happy with either product, though I think a bit more so with the Emu oil due to the fact that it absorbs faster. However, if you are trying to avoid animal products, the GREEMU is most definitely a wonderful alternative.

We were very thankful for the opportunity to review GREEMU Oil from Devonian, and we highly recommend it. You can purchase a 4 oz bottle for $10.80 from Koru Naturals. And they are currently offering 20% off with a coupon code through May 31st, 2016.

A guest post featuring crafts, activities, tips, snack ideas or other early childhood topics. (toward the end of the month)

Posts where I share what I have been up to with my preschoolers and/or early elementary children (including occasional highlight posts where I share how we used ideas that have been linked up here on Littles Learning Link Up).

Each week, I will host a link up, where you can share either what you have been up to recently, or old posts that may go with the theme. Feel free to link up more than one post.

Each week I will continue to feature a couple of posts from those that have been linked up.

I hope you will continue to share your wonderful posts, and I hope you will find something new to try with your child.

It would be great for everyone to stop by and visit the other linked-up posts as well. Check them out, leave some comments, pin those that interest you. Let's make this a real party and socialize with each other.

"I am Annette. I blog over at A Net In Time.
Loved by God and family - these things center me.
Writer, Poet, Hiker, Reader - these things make me smile.
Educating, Raising a child, Involved with Critters, Pastor's wife - These things make me grow."

Today Annette is sharing a fun hands-on project using crayons to learn about the different kinds of rocks:

Back when my lad was young, we took an afternoon to make Crayon Rocks. It's been about three years
now and he STILL has them and talks about how much fun he had doing them.

Ergo, when Karen asked me if I could up a post for her blog focusing on things you can do with young
children I was immediately drawn back to that day.

Water carries pieces of broken rock and deposits in a quiet spot. Over time rocks continue to be
dropped in that are, building up on layers. These layers are called sediments, the process is called
sedimentation. The weight of the upper layers squash the bottom layers in a process called
compaction. The process of compaction squeezes the water out of the lower layers leaving different
salts behind. Those salts form a glue that cements the pieces of rock together. This process is called
cementation. Through sedimentation, compaction and cementation sedimentary rocks are created.

To make a sedimentary crayon rock, take a bunch of your shaved crayons, layering different colours on
top of each other. Wrap it tightly in aluminium foil and placed it where you can compress it. We used
a table clamp we have.

This is what we ended up with:

Metamorphic Rocks

Metamorphic rocks are made by changing pre-existing rock. This change is made by subjecting a rock
to very high heat and pressure. This changes the rock physically and chemically. This pressure and
heat can be formed deep inside the earth by pressure from the earth plates (tectonic pressure) or when
they heated up by magma from the Earth's interior.

This is how we made our metamorphic rock:

Knowing that this type of rock is made from sedimentary rock, we made a couple different sedimentary
rocks. We made boats of aluminum foil. We learned quickly that making a single layer doesn't work very
well. The crayon ran out when it started to melt. So we made double, triple and quadruple layer boats.

We floated them in a pot of boiling water (you could also do this in a bowl with really hot water as well
if you children haven't learned hot stove safety yet). My son knew how to be safe around a hot stove
so we saved that step.

Each layer of thickness slowed down the time that it took for the crayons to start to melt. This is good
to point out to the children as it changes how the rock reforms and how the colours mix and how you
can add pressure to them (or not).

If you make an extra four layer one, wait until it just starts to melt, remove it from the pot and then use
a cloth you don't mind wasting and fold the aluminium foil in half around the melting crayon. Let it
cool and examine the result. It's rather cool. :)

There are two types:
1. Intrusive form below the surface of the earth. The slow cooling allows large crystals to form.
Intrusive igneous rock examples are granite and pegmatite.
2. Extrusive form on the surface of the earth. They cool quickly forming small crystals. Some cool so
fast they form an amorphous glass. Examples are basalt, obsidian and pumice.

We couldn't make the “underground” type of lava, but I could melt “rock” and then show him how
quickly it cools when removed from heat. LEARN from my mistake. . . if using a plastic spoon wrap it
much higher up the handle (ours did a lovely bend from melting and was tossed into our sandbox).

Use a spoon that you can easily tip to allow the melted crayon to flow from.

Once it is melted pour slowly so it can start to cool fairly quickly.

My son was quite interested in how uniform the colour was and how some of it had bubbles in it when
it was cool. I showed him pictures of pumice and how it has little holes in it as well.

All in all we had a great time making rocks.

To make this a really complete lesson I would add in pictures or actual samples of these different types
of rocks. It's easy to pull up books or images on-line to see samples.

If you would like to guest post on Littles Learning Link Up, please contact me via email. My email address can be found on my About Me page. I am scheduling posts for the next several months and would love to include yours. I ask that the guest posts focus on subjects relevant for young children (toddler through early elementary). This could be crafts, activities, recipes, or various tips and advice. I am always open to suggestions. Details will be emailed to those who are interested.

Now Onto:

Littles Learning Link Up Features

On my last Littles Learning Link Up post, there were 23 wonderful posts linked up. I will be picking one randomly selected post to share, plus the top clicked-on post.

Don't forget to stop by other posts that are linked up. See what catches your eye, stop by, pin the post to a relevant board, and perhaps leave a comment to let the author of the blog know you have been by for a visit. I know I appreciate others commenting and letting me know they have read my posts, so I am sure others do too.

I would love to have you join in this week! What sort of activities do you do with your young children? Do you have some favorite activities you would like to share? I invite you to link up below. I will be pinning posts on my Toddler Ideas or other relevant board, and I would love to feature some of the activities each week from what is linked up.

Please know I may share a picture from your post and link back to it, along with sharing how we used your idea in our school time. By linking up you are giving me permission to use a picture from your post. I will ALWAYS give credit and link back. Additionally, if you choose to try out any of the ideas with your child, please make sure you give credit where credit is due.

Linky will be open through Sunday night, to give me time to check out all the posts and get the Features organized. Please take the time to visit some of the other wonderful posts linked up.

Welcome to Tots and Me... Growing Up Together, where I share homeschool activities, crafts, recipes, and tips, both of my own creation and those I have found around the web. I also love to share reviews and the occasional giveaway.

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About Me

I am a stay at home mom. I have always wanted to teach, started college with a major in Early Education, but ended up staying home with my son (which turned into staying home with my 2 sons and daughter). Years later ended up with an Associates Degree in Human Services. Which helped me get a director's position at the Montessori I was working at. I am now staying home with my 3 young children. While my older children are off in public school we are homeschooling. I am doing what I always dreamed of doing, teaching!! I feel this is where God has led and willed me to be. I will be here to "Train up [my children] in the way [they] should go: [so] when [they are] old, [they] will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6